Wow, this guy was a monster out there. He really owned the middle and bulldozed the Bengals center so many times. Shelden is back this week, but I want to see more Mclendon! I hope they dont play Shelden more just because he is apparently the better player. I dont think he has earned it yet like Steve has.
I really enjoyed that one play where McClendon pushed the bengals pansy center 5 yards deep in the backfield then threw him off like a dress on prom night before sackin' Dalton. Not being sure what to do with Richardson is a good problem to have. According to Cimini - McClendon had 34 snaps but Lawrence Thomas had 28. I imagine Thomas' snaps will go to Richardson now.. They will rotate a lot to keep these guys fresh. Having fresh d-lineman is difficult for offensive linemen to deal with since they don't usually rotate. having beasts on the d-line that are fresh is extremely difficult to deal with. Just so long as they don't play Richardson standing up as a quasi-linebacker like they have in the past - they can't go wrong here
Steve will play either way. Thomas played the other "end" and that's where Sheldon will get his reps...it's gonna be a scary proposition for the other team.
Can we trade Sheldon for something serviceable? I know in-season trades don't happen in the NFL and getting a draft pick at this point is a waste, but if we could get another corner for him that'd be wonderful.
Steve McLendon is a beast. GREAT pickup. As much as we loved Snacks, - this cushions the blow big time (albeit 1 game). But note McLendon is turning 31 in January.
we'll rotate and I'd imagine in nickel and dime we'd see rich and Mclendon on the inside with williams and wilk on the outside
I also agree with moving to a 4-3. We need to run this defense the way the Giants ran theirs the year they won the Super Bowl. Let the big fatties up front get all the pressure while the linebackers help in coverage. Sent from my KIW-L24 using Tapatalk
Run with Mo and Sheldon on the outside with McLendon and Williams on the inside. David Harris, Erin Henderson (Darron Lee on obvious passing downs), and rotate Mauldin, Jenkins and Carter for the third linebacker spot, or take them out for another DB on obvious passing downs.
Trade Sheldon this off-season. Either for a corner like Joe Haden, or a 2nd and another pick. Mo, Leonard and McLendon will hold it down going forward. You saw the chemistry those 3 had on the field.
I don't think anyone thought McLendon could move like that coming in. The dude is very light on his feet and moves well laterally. Very pleasant surprise.
I think we will rotate fresh bodies and play a lot of 4-3 lines. It's the best thing for the D to have its best players on the field. Better then having a lesser talent on this field with a linebacker in a 3-4. We better feast on buffalo or else we are in for a long miserable season.
It's a small sample size, but it sure looks as though his talents were very much underutilized playing in the Steelers 2 gap system.
well sheldon doesn't play NT much, so as someone else suggested, go 4-3 n blow up everyone's o-line with our beasts!
McClendon did look good, but with Wilk (original beast) and Williams (latest beast) on either side, you can pretty much plug in any capable player. Williams had a monster game and McClendon definitely benefitted
